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Pro football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett and two other former top players have been diagnosed as having signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.

Dorsett, who rushed more than 12,000 yards with the Dallas Cowboys, fellow Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure, and former NFL All-Pro Leonard Marshall were told they have the degenerative condition many scientists say is caused by head trauma and linked to depression and dementia, according to ESPN.

The former NFL stars underwent brain scans and evaluations at UCLA, in addition to an unidentified ex-player whose results were not yet available. The university tested five other former players last year and diagnosed them with signs of CTE – the first time doctors found the disease in living players.

Researchers told the ESPN show "Outside the Lines" that they had notified Dorsett by phone of his diagnosis. The hall of fame running back then appeared on an ESPN show Wednesday and acknowledged that he had received the results.

Dorsett, 59, said that he has struggles remembering where he is when he travels, namely when he traveled to Los Angeles for testing and when he drives his two youngest daughters to their soccer and volleyball games.

The former Heisman trophy winner also said he has trouble controlling his emotions and has emotional outbursts directed towards his wife and daughters.